Other common reasons for claims being declined include people being unable to provide evidence for the loss of items, cancellations not falling within the scope of their cover, and claims not being above the policy's excess.

The research forms part of the association's bid to make the industry more transparent and increase the public's trust in insurance companies. The move was announced by its chairman, Paul Evans, at the ABI's conference last autumn.

The ABI's director general, Huw Evans, says firms want their customers to be confident that their claims will result in payouts in their hour of need.

That, he adds, can only be achieved if the industry tells people how many claims are successful and why those that are not fail.

Mr Evans says the association will be using its analysis of the figures to run awareness campaigns aimed at further improving payout rates.

The ABI figures also show that in the motor insurance sector, all but 1% of claims were successful during 2013 and 2014, with the payouts averaging more than £2,100.